Pneumatic-despatch apparatus.



G. F. STODDARD.

PNEUMATIC DESPATGH APPARATUS.

APYLIOATION FILDED JAN. 9, 190A. Patented June 1,

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON D. c.

0. F. STODDARD.

PNEUMATIC DESPATGH APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 9, 1904,

Patented June 1, 1909.

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G. F. STODDABD.

PNEUMATIC DESPATGH APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 9, 1904.

Patented June 1,1909.

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. MKYJ M A MTQ UNTTE STATES FATEWT OFFTCE.

CHARLES F. STODDARD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN P\ EU- MATIC SERVICE COMPANY, OF DOVER, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PNEUMATIC-DESPATCH APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1909.

Application filed January 9, 190%. Serial No. 188,879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. Sronmin), of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PneumaticDespatch Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in terminals for pneumatic despatch apparatus, and especially to such apparatus wherein large carriers are used for the transmission of mail matter and merchandise.

The object of my invention is to produce an apparatus simple in construction and etlicient in operation.

My invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accom Jan in drawin s which illustrate a construction embodying my invention, Figure l is a side elevation of the terminal. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the controlling valve in its normal position. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the auxiliary valve in its normal position. Fig. A is a longitudinal section of the controlling valve in aposition opposite to that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the auxiliary valve shown in a position opposite to that shown in Fig. 8.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The transmission tube A is located in alinement with the compression chamber A of the terminal, and has a slotted casing A through which pressure passes into the exhaust tube A The front end of the com pression chamber A is normally closed to the atmosphere by the gate A which is connected to the piston A of the cylinder A by the piston rod A.

A is a receiving table and A a suitable bufier to stop the carriers at the end of the table. The main controlling valve C is supplied with air under pressure by the pipe B and exhausts through the pipe B The auxiliary cylinder O is connected to the controlling valve O. The piston C of the auxiliary cylinder O is connected to the piston rod C passing through the stufling supporting the table on I box S and to which are also connected the pistons C O of the controlling valve C. One side of the cylinder C is connected with the front end of the compression chamber A by the pipe B and the other side of the cylinder C is connected with the auxiliary valve B by the pipe B The auxiliary valve 13 is also connected with the supply pipe B by the pipe B The finger F which operates the piston rod F is pivoted at D and rests normally on the pin D.

L is the floor line and L, L, L are legs the forward part of the terminal.

P P are ports of the main cylinder and P P are the supply ports of the controlling valve; is the exhaustport of the controlling valve.

P and P are respectively connected to the ports P and P by the pipes B and B.

P and P are ports in the auxiliary valve to which are connected the pipes B B respectively and P is an atmospheric port located in the upper part of the auxiliary valve 13*.

S is a spring operating the plunger S of the auxiliary valve 13*.

F and F are the pistons of the plunger S The operation is as follows: The carrier coming in to the terminal from the transmission tube A passes through the casing A into the compression chamber A where it is stopped by compressing the air in front of it against the gate A. This com pressed air in front of the carrier passes through the pipe B into the cylinder C forcing the piston G into the position shown in Fig. at thereby opening the port P to the pressure which comes into the controlling valve C through the port P and opening the port P to the atmosphere through the port P this being controlled by the pistons C C When the piston O moves from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. A, the air in front of it passes out through the pipe B and the ports 1? and P of the auxiliary valve 3*. The pressure then flows through the pipe B through the port P A of the cylinder A and forces the piston to the under side of the piston to the top of the cylinder, the air above the piston passing out through the port P and pipe B and port P and port P into the atmosphere. There is just enough pressure in the transmission tube A to blow the carrier out on to the table A against the buffer A". As the carrier passes from under the gate A it engages the finger F raising it into the position shown in Fig. 5, and this finger F in turn raises the plunger S in the cylinder 13* so that the port P is in communication with the port P allowing the pressure which comes from the supply pipe B through the pipe B to flow through the pipe B into the cylinder C thereby forcing the piston 0 back into the position shown in Fig. 2. When the plunger S moves from the position shown in Fig. 3 into the position shown in Fig. 5 it checks communication between the port P and the port P which in turn communicates with the atmosphere. lhis operation opens the port P to the atmosphere through the port P and the port P to the pressure which comes through the port P and these ports in turn open the lower end of the cylinder A to the atmosphere and the upper side to the pressure which forces the piston A into the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby closing the transmission tube A by the gate A which puts the terminal into its normal position ready to receive another carrier.

The ports P, P receive their air pressure supply from any suitable source from the pipe 13 and the port P exhausts to the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe 13 Having thus described the nature of my invention and set forth a construction embodying the same what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a receiving terminal for the carrier, a gate in said terminal for compressing the air in front of the carrier, pneumatically operated means con'nnunicating with a source of compressed air for moving said gate, a valve controlling the communication between the pneumatically operated means and its source of compressed air, a piston for actuating said valve, a cylinder containing said piston communicating on one side of the piston with said terminal to permit the air compressed therein by the carrier to move the piston in one direction and said cylinder communicating on the other side of the piston with an air-supply separate from that compressed by the carrier to move the piston in the opposite direction, and means for controlling the communication leading to the cylinder from the air-supply separate from that compressed by the carmen 2. In apparatus of the character scribed, a receiving terminal for the carrier, a gate in said terminal for compressing the air in front of the carrier, pneumatically operated means communicating with a source of compressed air for moving said gate, a valve controlling the communication between the pneumatically operated means and its source of compressed air, a piston actuating said valve, a cylinder containing said piston communicating on one side of the piston with said terminal to permit the air compressed therein by the carrier to move the piston in one direction and said cylinder communicating on the other side of the piston with an air-supply separate from that compressed by the carrier to move the piston in the opposite direction, and means actuated by the carrier after the latter has passed the gate for controlling the communication leading to the cylinder from the air-supply separate from that compressed by the carrier.

3. 1n apparatus of the character de scribed, a receiving terminal for the carrier, a gate in said terminal for compressing the air in front oi the carrier, pneumatically driven means communicating with a source of compressed air for moving said gate, a valve controlling the communication between the pneumatically driven means and its source or compressed air, pneumatically operated mechanism actuated by the air compressed by the carrier to move said valve in one direction to open the gate and said pneumatically operated mechanism actuated by the direct pressure of compressed air from a source separate from that com pressed by the carrier to move said valve in the opposite direction to close the gate and means actuated by the carrier after the latter has passed the gate for controlling the direct pressure of compressed air to said pneumatically operated mechanism from a source separate from that compressed by the carrier.

l. 1n apparatus of the character described, a receiving terminal for the carrier, a gate in said terminal for compressing the air in front of the carrier, a separate source of compressed air, pneumatically driven means for opening and closing said gate, a communication between said separate source of compressed air and said pneumatically driven means, a valve controlling said communication, valve-actuating mechanism operated by fluid-pressure for moving said valve, a communication admitting air compressed in the terminal by the carrier to said valve-actuating mechanism to operate the latter to move said valve to open said gate, a communication admitting air from said separate source of compressed air to act directly upon said valve-actuating mechanism to move said valve to close said gate, an auxiliary valve controlling said communication between the separate source of compressed air and the valve-actuating two subscribing Witnesses, this 21st day of mechanism, and a finger for operating said December A. D. 1903 auxiliary valve located beyond the gate so as to be struck by the carrier after the latter CHARLES STODDARD' 5 has passed the gate. Vitnesses:

In testimony whereof, I have signed my A. L. MnssER,

name to this specification in the presence of E. L. HARLOW. 

